Coupling



Dec. 8, 1 931 v w, DAUBLE 1,835,471

COUPLING Filed Jan. 13, 1950 INVENTOR 4J1 bnjaafile ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES WILLIAM DAUBLE, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN COUPLING Application filed January 13, 1930. Serial No. 420,503.

This invention relates to improvements in couplings, and refers more particularly to couplings intended for use on motor trucks to engage coupling pins mounted on trail- .5 ers.

The invention aims, among other things, to provide a coupling consisting of a pivotal drawbar having a jaw thereon which may be easily turned so that the latter may be moved 10 from open to closed position, or vice versa;

and wherein means are provided for engaging a locking bar pivotally secured to the drawbar so that the latter may be held against accidental movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a coupling wherein means are provided for rendering the locking bar engaging means inoperative.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling which has relatively few parts, and which can be easily and cheaply manufactured, and is simple both to install and operate.

With these and other objects and advantages in view which will become apparent as the specification proceeds, theinvention is hereinafter more fully described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an inverted plan of the invention with the jaw in closed position.

Figure 2 is a similar view but with the jaw in open position and showing parts in section.

Figure 3 is a side View of the coupling on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the locking bar engaging means, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a plate adapted to be attached to the chassis, or any other preferred portion, of a trucknt shown. On the plate 1 is a supporting member 2 in which a draw bar 3 is pivotally mounted on a vertically arranged pin 4. On the outer end of the drawbar a jaw is formed which is adapted to engage a pin 6, which in the present instance projects through a tongue 7 secured to a trailer-mot, shown.

Pivotally attached to the end of the draw 50 bar 3 remote from the jaw 5 is a locking bar 8. On the plate 1 is a guide 9 having an aperture 10 therethrough for the passage of the locking bar. On the guide is a housing 11 having a cavity 12 therein outwardly from which a passage 12aextends. It will be noted that the cavity and passage lie substantially at right angles to the aperture 10, and that the cavity opens into the aperture. Projecting through the passage 12a into the cavity 12 is a spindle 14 having an enlarged head 14a at its inner extremity which engages a recess 15a formed in a latch 15 so that independent longitudinal movement of the spindle and latch cannot occur, though the spindle is free to turn independently of the said latch. V v

The latch 15 is adapted to engage a slot 8a formedin the. locking bar 8 and hold the latter against movement longitudinally of the aperture 10. A spring 16 is provided around the spindle 14 within the cavity 12 having one extremity resting against the back wall of the latter and its opposite extremity bearing against the latch 15, thereby tending to force the latter into engagement with its slot 8a. In the outer end of the housing 11 a transverse recess 17 is formed and extending radially through the spindle 14 is a member 18. When the said spindle is so turned that the member 18 rests in the recess 17 the spring 16 will force the latch 15 into the locking bar slot So as soon as the latter is opposite the latch.

When it is desired to hold the latch 15 disengaged from its slot 8a the spindle 14 is pulled outwards until the member 18 is clear of the recess 17, then the spindle 14 is turned and the said member allowed to rest against the outer extremity of the housing 11. hen

the spindle andlatch are thus withdrawn from the aperture 10 the spring 16 is held in compression and the latch remains disengaged from its slot 8a.

A handle 19 is generally attached to the locking bar 8 to facilitate the movement of the latter and also of the drawbar 3 about its pin 4.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a coupling wherein the drawbar is readily pivotally movable, and wherein means are provided both for holding the drawbar against accidental movement and for automatically locking the drawbar when it reaches its shut position.

lVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown it is understood that the construction is. suspectible to such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In an arrangement Off the. character de-. scribed, the combination of a base plate, a supporting member thereon, a drawbar pivotal in said member, a jaw at one end of said drawbar, a locking bar pivotal on the other end of said drawbar, a guide on said, base plate having throughwhich said locking bar extends, said locking bar having av slot therein, a housing on said guide, a latch in saidguide and housing adapted to engage saidslot and hold. the locking bar and drawbar immovable, a: spindle extend ng into said housing so con-.

nected to the latch that the latter cannot -,1i10.(3 longitudinally independently, of one another, a spring in said housing tending-to hold the latch inengagement with the lock-v ing bar slot, said housing havingradial slots in its outer extremity, and a member extendin transversel throu h-said s )indle ada it,

ed to lie in said slots so that the spring is free to force the latch into said slot, or to rest against the extremity of the housing and hold.

the latch from its recess and the spring in compression.

A coupling cons sting of a draw-bar,a

member on which said bar is pivotally mounted, a aw at one extremity of said bar, alocking bar pivoted at. the other extremity of said drawbar, said locking bar. having a slotted side, a guide through which said locking bar is slidable, a housing on said guide, alatch in said housing adapted to engage said slotted lOClUng'. bar side, a. spindle movable longitudinally with said latch, said spindle being rotatable independently ofsaid latch, aspring tending to hold saidlatch-in contact with said locking bar, and means when said spindle and latch are moved away from the locking bar andthe former. turned to a predetermined extent for holding said latch spaced from said locking bar.

3. A coupling consisting of a drawbar, means for pivotally s pporting said drawbar a jaw at one extremity of" said drawbar, a locking bar pivoted to the other extremity of said drawbar, said locking bar having a slotted side, a guide through which said,

locking bar is slidable, a housing on said guide having a bearing formed therein, a latch movable in said housing into and out of engagement with the slotted locking bar side and adapted to engage, saidslot, a spindle slidable through said bearing and so con-, nected to said latch that the latter and the aperture thereth rou gh;

the lockingv bar.

' WILLIAM DAUBLE. 

